Episode 291
291. Curse of Immortality
‘this!’
Although it was only a moment, Artaros felt death.
Of course, death was just a distant word to him who was cursed with immortality.
Nevertheless, just before he died, a look of confusion appeared on Artaros’ face.
Because there was a penalty for resurrection.
Phew!
The sword pointed at the black scythe pierced Artaros’ neck.
It was as if the blow of conversion had come back to him.
That’s how Artaros died.
Still, Ryumin couldn’t help but feel nervous.
‘He’s not dead.’
Despite being pierced through the neck, Artaros still moved.
A truly bizarre sight.
Sooooook-
When he removes the sword of light from his neck, the hole fills up as if it had never happened before.
[This is a hit. I never thought there was a reflex ability.]
Artaros shook his head and reprimanded himself for underestimating his opponent.
[Thanks to you, I lost my life twice. I also received a 10% stat reduction penalty.]
His curse of immortality allows him to be resurrected without penalty the first time he dies.
However, if you lose your life within 1 hour, you will be penalized.
It’s none other than a penalty that reduces all stats by 10%.
If you die in succession, your stats will continue to decrease.
Of course, since it was a temporary debuff, it will recover over time, but the problem is not the stats.
Because each time you are resurrected, your soul is eaten away.
Therefore, infinite resurrection was not a good thing.
Even if the stats are restored, the lost soul fragment cannot be recovered.
That is why it is a curse.
‘I can’t kill him, but I can make him incur a penalty, right?’
Ryu Min, who found out all that information by reading his inner thoughts, saw hope in this fight.
However, I wasn’t conceited.
Even if the stats have dropped to 90% compared to before, Artaros is still strong.
He probably knows that too, but there’s no sign of tension on his face.
[If you thought you could kill me like this, you were wrong.]
“I know. “It’s not a problem worth killing once.”
‘I have to kill him a few more times right now to lower his stats.’
If you die in succession, the stat penalty will accumulate, making it increasingly easier to kill.
To do so, Ryumin picked up the scythe again.
[Does this mean you will keep attacking me?]
“Speaking of which, my mouth hurts. “Now that we are weak, this is an opportunity, so how can we pass it up?”
[That’s foolish. You just missed your chance to die gracefully.]
“Huh, is the good God taking care of me now?”
Instead of answering, Artaros raised his sword.
I was planning to use the skill I used earlier, [Light of Extermination].
[Now that it’s like this, I can’t back down. I will kill you with all my might.]
Artaros really used all his strength.
A rainbow-colored brilliance emerges from the sword.
It was not a lie to say that he was using all his strength, as the intensity of the light emitted was very intense.
It’s hard to even open my eyes.
In such a situation, using a wide-range technique that cannot be avoided?
It was a situation where there was literally no answer.
‘But what if I run right now?’
The battle rune calculates the distance to the enemy and your own speed, but it’s a bit far.
He decided that the light would burn his body before Ryumin’s scythe could even reach him.
Then, Ryumin also had no choice but to use his special move.
[Apologize with death. Foolish mortal.]
The light of annihilation obscured my vision.
Either way, Ryumin ran forward.
I narrowed the distance to kill Artaros.
But before that, the light first reached Ryumin’s skin.
Hair burns off, skin tissue peels off, and bones are exposed.
The closer you get to the light, the more your body melts like ice cream.
This is even though there is an 80% damage reduction.
I could feel with my whole body that the damage was on a different level than before.
However, Ryumin did not run without thinking like a moth to a fire.
[I purchased an experience pack using 1,000,000 points.]
[Experience +15.87%]
[Your level has risen!]
[The grade has increased from ‘Master’ to ‘Grand Master’.]
[From now on, you can use the ‘Command’ function.]
[All functions have been unlocked.]
[To commemorate the level increase, the Seal of Death skill will be strengthened!]
[The additional damage of the Seal of Death skill increases from 160% to 200%.]
[To celebrate your level increase, your Night of Death skills will be strengthened!]
[The range of the Death Night skill is increased from 1,500m to 3,000m.]
[To commemorate the level increase, Moonlight Island skills will be strengthened!]
[The area damage of the Moonlight Island skill is increased from 1,800% to 3,000%.]
[Red Moon skills will be strengthened to commemorate the level increase!]
[The duration of the Red Moon skill is increased from 10 seconds to 20 seconds.]
[In addition, you have learned the Shinigami-only skill ‘Death Sentence’!]
[Exclusive Skill – Death Sentence]
-Effect: Instantly kills the enemy. Can only be used when enemy health is below 30%. This is a skill with no cooldown.
[It has been confirmed that you are the first player to reach max level. congratulations!]
[Obtain the title ‘Max Level’.]
[‘Growth Rune’ was given as a reward for reaching max level for the first time.]
[The acquired runes are automatically imprinted on the player’s body!]
[To celebrate reaching max level, all stamina is restored and you enter a 1-minute invincibility state.]
Invincible for 1 minute.
A temporary buff effect that is not easily obtained.
It’s a buff that’s unfortunate to just pass up at max level.
This is the reason why I wanted to delay max level until I could become Ryumin.
In some ways, one minute of invincibility was quite a long time.
That’s true for the enemies you’re dealing with.
[…] … !?]
Artaros looked surprised as he looked at Ryumin, whose burning skin had regenerated cleanly and was engulfed in a brilliant light that was invincible.
[Max level effect… … ?]
He also knew about the effect, but with no experience, he never thought he would reach full level.
Suddenly!
The scythe pierced through the light of annihilation and cut Artaros’ body in two.
However, his body was put back together as if it had never been that way, and he returned to a clean appearance without any damage.
However, both Ryumin and Artaros knew that something had changed.
“Your stats decreased by 10% again, right?”
[…] … .]
“Then, if we calculate the multiplication, the stats would be 81% compared to before.”
[What do you want to say?]
“Now all that’s left is for you to get spanked for one minute, bastard.”
At the same time, Ryumin swung his scythe, and Artaros reflexively blocked it.
No, I tried to stop it.
Suddenly!
The attack came again at Artaros, who lost one of his arms and became one-armed.
Kang-kang-!
I’m blocking it, but it’s difficult.
This is a completely different movement from before.
Artaros, who was a little embarrassed but did not show it, attempted a counterattack.
Anyway, Ryumin didn’t even think about stopping it.
I’m invincible, so why would there be any reason to stop it?
Ting-!
Artaros was taken aback when his sword was blocked by the invincibility and bounced back.
Whether he was embarrassed or not, Ryumin plunged the scythe into Artaros’ heart.
Deep!
Artaros, who lost his life in an instant, came to his senses again.
He was resurrected again and will continue to be resurrected in the future, but his expression was different from before.
‘This isn’t good.’
The overall stats decreased again.
Now it is difficult to block the attacks of the black scythe.
That’s not enough to prevent an attack that turns into an attack only.
Sigh- Sigh- Sigh-
The throat was cut, the head was pierced, and the heart was pierced.
In this way, Artaros died five times in 50 seconds.
The stats dropped to less than half.
‘I’ve fallen a lot, but I can still do it. So let’s hold on for 10 more seconds.’
Then the opponent’s invincibility ends.
If you last just 10 seconds, you will have a chance to counterattack.
‘My stats dropped 7 times, but I’m okay. If you use [Burning Radiance] again to raise your stats by 50%… … .’
I thought I would be able to deal with him somehow.
After 10 seconds, the golden light surrounding Ryumin’s body disappeared as if washed away.
Artaros used Blazing Radiance to counterattack.
All of his stats increase by 50% and he becomes more energetic.
[You must have been conceited that you killed me while I was invincible, but that’s all… … .]
Artaros stopped mid-sentence.
A change occurred in the other person’s body.
It was a different feeling than before as I was swaying with black energy.
“Oh, this? “The Shinigami cooldown is back.”
[…] … .]
“why? Did you think you were the only one with a buff? “I have one too.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Ryumin’s scythe flashed like a flash.
Before he could react, Artaros’ head fell once again.
Ryumin muttered as his throat became sticky again.
“Is there a curse that prevents you from dying? Continuing to be resurrected? Then I’ll keep killing you. “Forever, until you get sick of it.”
Ryumin was desperate to kill his opponent.
It was a strong opponent, but the opponent showed an opening.
There is no chance if not now.
So I thought this was the right time and pushed with all my might.
Using Four Gods and Gods is as easy as dealing with a child.
Creep – Creep – Creep!
After amputating the limb, I used the newly learned skill to finish it off.
‘Death sentence.’
Puhwaak!
As soon as it was cast, scarlet blood spewed out like a fountain and he died instantly.
Even though he died so horribly, he was resurrected in a weary way.
Of course, Ryumin could not interfere during the three seconds or so of resurrection.
Until Artaros’ body was completed, even if he swung the scythe, the attack had no effect, as if it touched another dimension.
But that was no obstacle to Ryu Min.
Just wait 3 seconds and then kill it.
“How many times have you died now? Did he die 30 times?”
[…] … .]
“How does it feel to die right after being resurrected? How much did your stats drop? I’m curious. Oh sorry. “You didn’t give me time to talk.”
Ryumin took back the scythe he was trying to swing.
“If you have anything to say, tell me.”
[…] … The gods do not have a stat system. The system was created to make it easier for players to see.]
“Anyway, how far did we fall? According to my calculations, it is about 4% compared to before.”
Lost 96% of strength and only 4% remained?
For Ryumin, it was like a piece of cake.
Well, even at that level, other players can easily play with it.
[If you want to make fun of me, make fun of me to your heart’s content. If that is any consolation.]
“what? Are you desperate now? “Don’t you have any desire to live?”
[If you hope to beg, you are trying in vain. I have no intention of begging for my life.]
“Hoo, really?”
Ryumin read what the other person was thinking.
There is no way that a being who appeared to kill oneself under orders from a superior would give up in despair so easily.
It’s clear there’s something up there.
‘huh?’
Ryumin, who was reading with such thoughts, couldn’t help but be quite surprised.
Artaros’s aim was a method that even he had not thought of.
[Foolish guy.]
At that moment, Artaros’ eyes turned purple.
[It’s a failure of yours to give me time to talk to you. Because all I needed was a moment.]
Ryu Min’s body stopped as if he had lost his soul as he met his eyes.
In the quiet flow, as if time had stopped, only Artaros’ lips moved.
[You’re pushing me this far. I will praise you. black scythe. But you are an inconvenience to the gods. We must not ruin the only joy of the gods.]
Artaros placed his hand on Ryumin’s head.
As much as he wanted to crush it, there was only so much he could do now that time had slowed down.
[It would be best to kill him, but it seems impossible in my current state. So, let me erase your memory. I will make you forget all the abilities, relationships, and struggles you have ever had. Then, naturally, you will be eliminated from the game and disappear.]
Since he couldn’t kill him, Artaros had no choice but to do something like this.
[Then wait for your soul to reach the underworld. Phew… … I don’t know what to say to Nyx.]
Artaros muttered and disappeared out of space with his exhausted body.
* * *
The Devil’s Castle in darkness.
There was only one person lying there.
“Ugh, w-this place… … .”
Ryumin came to his senses, raised his upper body and looked around.
I couldn’t see anything, but the problem was that my head was pounding.
“Oh, it’s a goal… … “What happened?”
I looked around, but there was no one.
It seemed that Plunictos and Artaros had gone somewhere.
‘Artaros, that bastard, tried to erase my memories.’
Ryumin remembered the entire situation from a moment ago.
Everything he said to himself after stopping time.
It was none other than the Memory Rune obtained from killing the dragon.
‘You couldn’t kill me with your lowered stats, so you stopped time and tried to erase my memories? Then you released the space of nothingness?’
Nice try, but he probably didn’t know.
The Rune of Memory left the memories intact.
Moreover, I even remember the words when time stopped.
‘No, did you make time extremely slow?’
Even as time slowed down, Ryumin’s ears were open.
That’s why I could hear everything Artaros muttered.
‘I’m sure I mentioned a god called Nyx at the end.’
It seems like that guy was the one who ordered him to be killed.
‘There’s one more god to kill.’
A cold smile appeared on Ryumin’s lips.
